The Green Crackers packaging can be identified through the distinct green logo of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research –National Environment and Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEER) and Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO) as well as quick response coding systems, the Karnataka Government clarified.
On Thursday evening, the modified order was issued following the direction by the Karnataka High court. The court order reads that, “Green Firecrackers are available as sparklers, flowerpots, Maroons, etc.”
As per the Ministry of Environment Forest and the Climate Change, the government says that, “Green Crackers don’t contain harmful chemicals thereby reducing air pollution due to firecrackers considerably. These crackers are less harmful in comparison to conventional firecrackers.”
The manufacture of Green Crackers is done by the formula developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute Lab. And the product approval for the new formulation is given by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation which is under the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministries of Commerce and Industries, Government of India.
A novel feature of QR code is incorporated on the firecrackers to avoid manufacture and sale of counterfeit products.
On Thursday, while hearing the petition filed by Dr.CA A S Vishnu Bharat challenging the state government order dated November 6 and November 10 allowing use of only green firecrackers during Deepavali between 8 pm to 10 pm, the court observed that “Prima facie appears to us that order is ineffective as the state has not bothered to lay down what is the meaning of green crackers.”
The bench said “State ought to have taken stringent steps as there is possibility that Air Pollution created by bursting of firecrackers, may create a situation which may lead to spread of Covid-19.”
In 2018, the Supreme Court has ordered that, only “Green Crackers” shall be allowed to sell in the country.
The matter is list to hear today.
